Oh, you thought Netflix was the only place you could stream quality anime?
Get ready to have your mind blown then because Hulu is stepping into the game in a big way. From nostalgic offerings and cult classics to inventive new series and mega-popular franchises, the streaming platform is giving fans what they want. More kickass action, criminally cool characters, and imaginative storytelling all done in the signature animation style.
Here are the best anime series streaming on Hulu right now.
One Punch Man
2 seasons, 24 episodes | IMDb: 8.8/10
This fan-favorite anime series has two things going for it: a killer heavy-metal theme song and more action than a Marvel flick. That feels appropriate since the show follows an invincible superhero, who can take out his enemies with just one punch. What’s truly brilliant about this series, though, is how it ranks and classifies lower-tiered vigilantes and how it subverts stereotypes by making Saitama, the hero, apathetic about his own abilities. It’s darkly comedic as some of the best anime typically are.
Cowboy Bebop
1 season, 26 episodes | IMDb: 8.9/10
Even if you’re not an anime fan you’ve probably heard of this ’90s series. It’s a cult classic, a legend in the scene, and it holds up decades later as one of the more exciting, adventurous anime shows. The short synopsis: it’s a world-hopping space western starring a group of misfit bounty hunters, but that doesn’t really capture what a cultural phenomenon it’s become. Just watch a couple of episodes, listen to the dope theme songs, and then you’ll get why so many people cosplay this series.
My Hero Academia
4 seasons, 90 episodes | IMDb: 8.5/10
Speaking of superheroes, this is another anime series that reinvents the genre, giving fans a school setting and an imaginative take of supernatural abilities and the people who wield them. In a world where latent superpowers labeled “Quirks” show up in chosen people, Izuku Midoriya is glaringly average, until someone shares their Quirk with him. He must figure out how to use his new abilities while attending a school for the gifted. Okay, so maybe it kind of sounds like X-Men, but it’s not. Trust us.
Naruto: Shippuden
9 season, 502 episodes | IMDb: 8.6/10
For a lot of anime fans, this Manga-based series was a kind of gateway into the animated world. This show is the second part of a larger story about Naruto Uzumaki, a loud-mouth orphan who hopes to become a famed ninja, so while you’ll probably need to watch his origin story first, it’s this installment that’s the most action-packed. Naruto’s an adolescent now, still chasing glory with his group of badass friends. There are tons of filler episodes in this one but if you can stick it out, you’ll be treated to a thoroughly good time.
Bleach
26 seasons, 366 episodes | IMDb: 8.1/10
Bleach is another well-known anime with a fantasy element built-in. Kurosaki Ichigo is a high school student who, after an interaction with a hollow, gains the ability to see ghosts. So, naturally, he becomes a Soul Reaper. Truth: the first 60 episodes are this series best. It’s plagued by filler arcs later on, but it’s still an addictive watch, especially if you’re new to the scene.
Attack on Titan
3 seasons, 69 episodes | IMDb: 8.8/10
This series is a juggernaut in the anime world, spawning movies and multiple seasons and garnering a legion of devoted fans. To understand the hype, you’ll have to watch, but expect inventive action and a gripping storyline. Set in an alternate universe where humanity has caged itself off from giant monsters known as Titans, the show follows a group of fighters trying to protect their people when one of those walls is breached, and the Titans attack.
Demon Slayer
1 season, 27 episodes | IMDb: 8.8/10
Rich visuals and interesting plot twists elevate this Shonen anime to an inventive take on a typical plot for the genre. Tanjiro is a young boy whose family is attacked by demons. Only he and his sister survive. While Tanjiro sets out to become a demon slayer, his sister begins slowly turning into one, forcing Tanjiro to hide her condition as he searches for a cure.
Sailor Moon
5 seasons, 200 episodes | IMDb: 7.7/10
This ’90s anime series is another must-watch for anyone looking to get into the genre, or rediscover what makes it so great. The show follows a group of schoolgirls who learn they’re the reincarnation of alien princesses who must use their newfound abilities to defend earth. The word “girl-power” was created because of this series.
Space Dandy
1 season, 26 episodes | IMDb: 8.1/10
Another space epic, this one is truly out of this world in terms of storytelling. It focuses on a cosmic adventurer whose crew goes looking for new alien species. That on-the-move theme means each episode takes us to a new planet, explores a new genre, and offers up some rare experimental plot devices you normally don’t see in anime. It’s basically a new show every episode, which means you’ll never get bored.
Dragon Ball
5 seasons, 153 episodes | IMDb: 8.5/10
As another classic anime offering, this one stands out because of its oddball characters and nostalgic flair. It follows a weird monkey-boy named Goku who goes on a quest with the help of some equally strange comrades, to find the mystic dragon balls — large crystals that, when collected, gives their owner whatever they desire. Anime’s come a long way since this fun romp, but you’ll never tire of revisiting its roots with this show.
